![Tomatillo Salsa](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/05/11/dining/11FAJITAS7/11FAJITAS7-mediumThreeByTwo440.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Cherry Cobbler With Almond-Buttermilk Topping
Updated May 3, 2024
![Cherry Cobbler With Almond-Buttermilk Topping](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2011/07/13/science/14recipehealth/14recipehealth-articleLarge-v2.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Cook Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 1½pounds cherries, stemmed and pitted about 5 cups
- 2tablespoons sugar
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1tablespoon sifted all-purpose flour
- ¼teaspoon almond extract
- ½cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- ½cup almond meal, also called almond flour or almond powder 1½ ounces
- ½cup fine cornmeal
- 2teaspoons baking powder
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- ¼cup sugar
- ¼teaspoon salt
- 5tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ⅔cup buttermilk
For the Topping
Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Place the cherries in a large bowl, and add the sugar, lemon juice and all-purpose flour. Carefully mix them together with a rubber spatula or a large spoon until the sugar and flour have dissolved into the liquids. Transfer to the baking dish, making sure to scrape out all of the liquid in the bowl.
- Step 2
Sift all of the dry ingredients for the topping. If some of the cornmeal and almond flour remain in the sifter, just dump it into the bowl with the sifted flours. Place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse a few times. Add the butter, and pulse to cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Turn on the food processor, and pour in the buttermilk with the machine running. As soon as the dough comes together, stop the machine.
- Step 3
Spoon the topping over the cherries by the heaped tablespoon. The cherries should be just about covered but may peek out here and there. Place in the oven, and bake 35 to 40 minutes until the top is nicely browned and the cherries are bubbling. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool to warm before serving. Serve warm (heat in a low oven for 15 minutes if necessary before serving).
- Advance preparation:You can make this several hours before serving, but reheat and serve warm.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Well, I found that this was to die for. And unlike many other cobblers I've made, it actually keeps for a day or so at room temperature (or in the fridge) without the topping becoming soggy.
I think maybe Linda's "sandy" topping experience is attributable to the use of a medium- or coarse-grind corn meal--I used the fine grind called for in the recipe (where we live, masa harina is easy to get). I will make this again next cherry season, for sure.
For a 2 qt. dish, this recipe needs MUCH more fruit. I use 2 lbs 3 oz every time I make it -- sometimes all cherries, sometimes cherries and peaches -- and it's great, a better ratio of fruit to topping. The topping is interesting, a bit grainy, but still good. This is an excellent recipe for summer when you have good, fresh organic cherries aplenty.
I made this last night for our book group.. Very good and easy to put together. I used corn flour which I suspect is exactly what Shulman is referring to (corn flour is usually ground to a much finer texture than cornmeal). The only ingredient I didn't have on hand was buttermilk so I substituted Greek yogurt + milk. When I served the cobbler, it was still slightly warm. Topped with whipped cream, it was a perfect ending to our meal.
I was worried that there wasn’t enough juice, but it was perfect. I used a combination of cherries and blueberries, and was delighted that they weren’t cooked to mush in the oven. A perfect way to highlight Summer’s bounty.
This was great, biscuit topping had perfect crispy texture and really complemented the cherries. Served to guests with whipped cream on top and there was no leftovers to be had!
I agree with another reviewer - I'd add more fruit or use about 2/3 of the dough called for in this recipe for better balance. The ingredients call for almond extract but the recipe makes no mention. I added to the cherries of course; they were excellent.
This was very good despite my accidentally omitting the leavening! And substituting regular flour for the whole wheat pastry flour
Such a delicious and easy to assemble recipe. I may always use almond flour for cobbler topping going forward. Heck I think I will always use THIS recipe for cobbler toppings!
Made this with high expectations. But we were disappointed with the topping. Other reviews make me wonder about our results. That being said, I will not try it again. Cherry season is too short and cherries too expensive; I'll return to a tried and true recipe.
This recipe looks delightful. I plan to make it as soon as I pit the cherries. This may be a stupid question, but I just want to clarify. The flour mixture goes into the food processor after pulsing the butter followed by the butter milk. right? The recipe is a little fuzzy on this point.
I made this last night. It’s so delicious! I didn’t have buttermilk but used some of my yogurt, as a substitute. It worked well and the topping is yummy too! I’ll be making this again, for sure!
This was really good and not hard to make. I made it was finely ground polenta (!) since I didn’t have cornmeal. It gave it a cornbread texture but still worked. I used frozen cherries and didn’t defrost first. Worked but needed a few extra minutes to cook through the topping in the middle. I feel like the almond extract overpowered the cherry flavor. When I make it again I will try vanilla or cinnamon. I also agree the with other posters about upping the fruit.
Started this recipe only to discover there was no corn meal in the house nor a way to get it. So used this recipe for the fruit mixture and the Chez Panisse Blueberry Cobbler recipe for the "topping". This melded recipe led to a delicious cherry cobbler. Other pluses: low in added sugar and the extra dough made tasty "scones".
The buttermilk biscuit topping is outstanding! I used some cherries from my freezer with a few store-bought fresh ones thrown in so my quantities were a little off, but no matter! I brought it to a potluck, with some vanilla ice cream, and it got it got raves.
Can you substitute frozen cherries?
This recipe is for sweet cherries. Sour cherries need more sugar. If you find this out the hard way, sprinkle turbinado sugar liberally on the rest of the cobbler. If your cornmeal or almond meal is too coarse, give it a whirl in the food processor.
Just ok. The corn meal flavor takes over the almond flavor. The whole think tasted like a fruity cornbread, not a cobbler. A bit mushy too with the juice of the fruits and the liquid in the topping. Not my fav at all.
This cobbler was delicious! I didn’t have almond extract on hand, but it was not missed. I only had polenta meal, but easily made fine cornmeal with a spin in the blender. The almond meal in the biscuit dough provided just enough almond taste to pull this lovely dessert together.
The photo looks great and I was excited about making it, but the flavor of the topping just wasn't that nice.
Not impressed. As I ate it I felt like I was eating a tart and sweet cornbread. Or some sort of dessert with a corn tortilla thrown in. Will not make this again - there are better desserts to highlight fresh cherries. Much prefer the standard biscuit-y topping for a cobbler.
Delicious and easy. Used frozen sweet cherries (reduced sugar in fruit to compensate) and blackberries, gluten free sorghum/millet flour, and cinnamon since I was out of almond extract. (Also skipped the sifting and just tossed everything in the food processor.) The topping came out fluffy, the fruit was nicely cooked down, and it's disappearing rapidly. A great template that I'll be revisiting in the future!
Advertisement